May 08, 2016

Maybe a statement that everybody loves chocolate is a little bit ...hmmm...I even don't know how to call it..untruthful? Because let's be honest - not everybody loves chocolate. Moreover, there are so many kinds of chocolate - white, milk, dark, with nuts, orange zest, raisins and so on and so forth. But when you are told to think of some kind of pastry that will satisfy almost everyone, I have no doubts that it will be a chocolate cake. Am I right?

I've made already different chocolate cakes - Chocolate & Espresso Cake and Kladdkaka. And these two recipes are among the most visited on my blog! But you know that there can't be enough of it! And I should tell you that this Chocolate Mud Cake has the most rich chocolate flavor so far! This cake is for true chocolate lovers and for everyone else, even if you think you are not into chocolate at all. Give it a try. I am sure you will like it.

May 03, 2016

Easter bread, called Paska, is traditionally eaten in Ukraine during Easter holidays. Interesting that the recipe for it is similar to Italian Panettone, which is baked in Italy for Christmas. The tradition of eating Easter bread comes from religious reasons - Great Lent. Paska is made of all ingredients that are forbidden during the Lent and people break the fast by eating Easter bread loaded with butter, eggs, milk and sugar. Easter bread can be bought anywhere during the holidays, but there is something mysterious and magical in family tradition of baking Easter bread. The recipe goes from mother to daughter and each family has its own secrets.

I will be honest with you. In our family the right of baking Easter bread still belongs to my mother, because she is the one who keeps the family together. But all the fun belong to me, because I'm responsible for decorating part! Traditionally Paska is decorated with royal icing and sprinkles on the top. However lately in bakeries there are a lot of fancy variations which involve chocolate frosting, ganache, macaroons ans meringues, that I used last year. This time I went for less effortless, though not less beautiful dried fruits and nuts.

And to be totally honest, I wasn't planning to make a blog post out of it. Because I post only those recipes that I make by myself. But as long as I had brought home a huge bouquet of lilac the other day, I just couldn't resist not to use the opportunity.

February 11, 2016

Till recently I was completely indifferent about red velvet cake, while it is truly North American dessert and here in Europe red velvet can be found in bakeries and cafes very rarely. And to be completely honest, I was afraid of eating cake with red layers, because it seemed very unnatural and I just couldn't imagine what taste it could possibly have. However, not long ago I was lucky to come upon red velvet cake for the first time and I was just blown down with it! I had no idea that this cake can be so good. It is not simply a chocolate cake, it has a distinguishing flavor and texture, unlike any other. I knew the next cake I bake definitely will be a red velvet.

You know that I don't need a reason to bake a cake, but since the Valentine's Day is just around the corner...red velvet cake seemed to be a perfect thing to bake. Also I didn't want to make a giant cake and waste huge amount of ingredients. Plus, I was not sure whether it turns out eatable good. So, I had an idea of making mini cake for two. How great is that?! Especially when you need only two 400 ml (14 oz) cans to bake the layers! I adore this idea. And I am sure I will make more mini cakes.

So, the cake not just turned out eatable good, it was fantastic! Moist, crumbly layers and a delicate cream cheese frosting both with a hint of orange (inspired by naked red velvet cake by Michelle, which looks magnificent, by the way!). One of the best cakes I have made so far. The recipe makes two mini cakes 8 cm (3 inch) in diameter each. But you can divide ingredients in two to make just one mini cake.

June 26, 2015

This is a Sweet Blog turns ONE today! First blog birthday! First anniversary!

I couldn't even imagine that this blog would take such a significant part of my life. As a matter of fact, I couldn't imagine that I could have a blog at all! Since I can remember my passion for cooking, I have always been reading other food blogs and I always thought that it would be so nice one day to have my own. However, I have never taken it seriously and it seemed to be just another unrealisable dream.

June 01, 2015

I have made this cheesecake for the very first time in the beginning of May. Since than I've made it three more times, almost every weekend. And all this time I have been wanting to share the recipe with you so badly!

The first time I made this cheesecake, it was absolutely spontaneous. I happen to have 2 kg of the really good quality farmer cheese . Me + 2 kg of farmer cheese = baking. I decided it must be a cheesecake, because actually I had been craving after it for some time back than. So, when I had an opportunity to bake a lighter version, I didn't have to think twice. There was just a tiny problem - I was left without my camera for the whole week, so obviously no pictures - no post. However, it may have been even for the better, since I have improved the recipe afterwards.

I am not gonna lie, it was a wild month. Every time I had made a cheesecake, there always were some obstacles in the way to hinder me from sharing the recipe. At first, I didn't have camera, then came an examination week, right after it - my birthday, the celebration of which have dragged on for the whole week! Yeah, now I am 20, by the way!

During all May this cheesecake has been my true saviour and a great friend. It is a perfect snack when I crave for something sweet, though it is flourless and sugar-free! I hope you will fall in love with it like I did.

P.S. Do you also feel like a criminal when you pick the flowers in the public place?

February 10, 2015

I can talk about cakes a lot. When it comes to baking, cakes are my favourite topic. Cakes will always be on the top of the baking world (because they are simply much higher than cookies, pies, scones and whatever else :). I love cakes in the winter, spring, summer and autumn. All the year round. And this cake (I mean this recipe) has seen all times of the year!.

As you know, I post only those recipes that have been approved by my family, especially by my father, who is the main critic to everything that is being made on the kitchen. So, only after his approval I can share the recipe here with a light heart. If my memory doesn't fail me, Honey Cake was approved for the first time about 5 years ago. I have been making it for the most holidays ever since. It's a safe bet. It works all the time.

January 05, 2015

Tomorrow we celebrate Christmas! To be honest, I am totally confused with the fact how fast the week after New Year has flown by. Holidays make me lazy, especially after such a difficult term. But one of the pleasures of being on holiday is a freedom to loaf around without feeling guilty. And I do! I do nothing but watching How I met Your Mother day and night. At the moment I am in the middle of the 8th season! I just can not give up, it is only 1 and 1/2 season left (780 minutes, that are equal to 13 more hours of watching))). Hah, crazy, right? Tell me I am not the one crazy like that here!? But I really liked the series - jesting about situations that can happen to each of us in real life. So, for all of you who haven't yet watched this series (or if you just don't know with what to amuse yourself during the holidays), I highly recommend it.

Back to our Fruit Cake. I can't imagine Christmas without this cake. Usually we cook a lot of dishes and they can vary from year to year, but this cake is sort of a tradition. Three weeks before Christmas I bake a fruit cake and let it rest in the fridge, soaking it from time to time with alcohol. Actually I should have written the recipe much earlier, I know. I hope that you will keep it in mind and will be armed with the recipe the next year.

And also you wouldn't have to worry about what to bake for Christmas, because the cake would be waiting for you in the fridge and you with a safe conscience would loaf away your time. Win/win!

December 19, 2014

Am I the only one so excited about every new cake I make? I always say that exactly this particular cake is the best I have ever made! There is something magical about making a cake. First of all, cakes are beautiful. Secondly, you never know exactly whether it all will go right. Sometimes it just doesn't work (especially on the stage of making a frosting - I own that frostings are my weak point). But the most thrilling part is assembling. Actually, I never know how my cake will look like. I can picture every detail in my head and live with it for a week. But when the time comes and I begin layering the cake, usually I end up with something completely different. Isn't it magic? Magic of creation.

October 20, 2014

Where are my 36 hours a day?! It is unfair! Because I am literally short of time. As were promised in my last post, this Sunday was devoted for pumpkin baking. But I just hadn't have any chance to make up a few sentences and to edit the photos. And right now instead of learning by heart the Universal declaration of human rights in both German and Ukrainian languages (can you only imagine that? crazy, right?!), I am writing about this cake. Pumpkin cake with Mascarpone frosting and Chocolate Ganache. And you know why am I so irresponsible? Because I can't wait any second longer to share the recipe for this cake with you, guys!!! When I told you that this cake was the best I ever made, I was so wrong! Without doubt Pumpkin cake steals the show.!

October 04, 2014

I like to get presents. Who doesn't? But I like to give presents more. I think a gift can tell about the person even more that his/her deeds. Present is a mirror of relationships, it shows the attitude and reveals the feelings. It doesn't matter what the price is. Some gifts are priceless and cost nothing, as much as there are costly and fancy presents, that do not mean anything and have no special significance.

September 30, 2014

Autumn is good. Especially in late September - early October. When you do not miss summer anymore and you are completely Ok with the fact, that it is actually autumn. I would even say, it is the time when you actually enjoy autumn. 'Cause it is just perfect now.

I like crispy air in the morning. I like walking in the park, adoring the beauty of the trees. And after such a long walks you feel fresh and a little bit cold. So the best place to go afterwards is a lovely, cozy coffee house, where you can drink mugs of coffee, tea or cocoa (even better!!!) and get warm. Oh, Gosh! How could I forget about the dessert?! Inexcusable, to put it mildly!

August 12, 2014

So...today I won't be too much wordy. Because I fail words to express my feelings about this cake. The most rich flavored chocolate cake I ever had in my life. Sticky when warm, becomes dense when chilled. Accomplished with fresh berries and slightly powdered with confectioner's sugar. I'm irreversibly for good and all in love.

August 02, 2014

Until I began cooking almost every day, I had no idea of failures on the kitchen. I often heard from others about overbeaten frosting, underbaked cake, overdone pancakes...and so many different things, but it had never happened to me until I decided to make this cake. I had a lot of berries, which I needed to use (I tried to eat them all...but it appeared to be pointless))). I found the recipe. It seemed very easy to make, minimum ingredients - flour, butter, sugar, eggs . With absolute certainty that in an hour I will have a summer cake on my table, I went to the kitchen, turned on the music (as I usually do) and ....Oh, how wrong I was!